Level indicator and filling device in an engine cooling system



July 9, 1963 i w, HARRY 3,096,748 7 LEVEL INDICATOR AND FILLING DEVICE IN AN ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 9, 1961 a El NGRMA I 27% INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,096,748 LEVEL INDICATOR AND FHJLING DEVICE IN AN ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM Gordon W. Harry, Flushing, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 151,324 3 Claims. (Cl. 12341.15)

This invention relates to liquid level indicator and filler devices and particularlyto such devices as employed in liquid cooling systems for internal combustion engines.

Automobile radiators are each customarily provided with a radiator neck having a vent to atmosphere controlled =by a neck closure or cap in which a relief valve is arranged so that a maximum predetermined pressure will not be exceeded. Such a cap is disclosed in the U.S. Patent 2,865,531, issued December 23, 1958, in the names of I. R. S. Gorst and S. N. Kemp. In using such a cap in accordance with customary practice, it must be removed from the radiator neck to determine whether the radiator requires refilling. Removal necessarily entails the distinct possibility that fluid pressure may cause boiling coolant to gush forth with a resulting waste and personal injury to say nothing of the inconvenience involved in undertaking the operational steps which have been necessary.

The present invention is conceived to avoid the necessity of removing a radiator cap in order to safely and conveniently ascertain the liquid level and to fill the system if refilling is desired.

To these ends, an object of the present invention is to provide an indicating and filling device for use in an engine cooling system which device eliminates the need for removing a closure as a stepin determining coolant level and replenishing the coolant supply.

A feature of the present invention is a transparent or light permeable element connected into a coolant system and provided with yieldable means adapted to admit the insertion of a nozzle. Another feature is an element adapted to be connected to a coolant system and being, at least in part, formed from light permeable material and which is provided with a one-way valve arrangement for admitting liquid under pressure.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view, partly in section, of the top half of a radiator as connected to an engine and the system being provided with an indicating and filling device in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 22 in FIGURE 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale; and

FIGURE 3 is a view, partly in section, looking in the direction of the arrows 33 in FIGURE 2.

A portion of an internal combustion engine is shown in FIGURE 1. This engine is served by a conventional cooling fan 12 and the usual coolant pump 14. The latter is adapted to circulate coolant by way of a hose 16, an indicating device 18 and a hose 17 to a header tank 20 of a radiator whose conventional core is diagrammatically illustrated at 22.

The indicating device '18 constitutes an embodiment of the present invention and is shown in the form of a T- shapcd element made of transparent plastic which may be nylon as one example. Clamping rings 24 and 26 are utilized to hold the indicating device 18 in sealed relation with respect to the connected ends of the hose 16 and the hose 17. In order to enhance the seal, the device 18 is provided with ridges at 28 and 30. The device 18 is preferably but not necessarily in the form of a T, the side leg illustrated being at 32 as indicated in FIGURE 2 and this leg is provided with an additional sealing rim 34.

Clamping means 36 requiring a screw 37 is utilized tightly to hold three legs 38, 40 and 42 of a metal cap 44 against the annular wall 46 of a rubber or yielding plug member 48. Embedded in the plug member 48 is an annular flange 50 of a cup-shaped device 52 which device has perforations or flow passages 54 in its bottom. The annular wall of the leg 32 is internally recessed as at 56 for receiving the cap 32. The rubber plug 48 is apertured as at 60 and this aperture terminates with a slot or slit 62 formed between two flaps 64 and 66. The cap 44 has an aperture 67 in registry with the aperture 60.

Spaced a slight distance from the free ends of the flaps 64 and 66 and in alignment with the slot 62 is a one-Way valve element 70 made of soft or yielding rubber. This one-way valve bears a reduced diameter portion at 72 for the reception of and retention by the bottom Wall of the cap 52 and an annular thin portion 74 of the valve element overlies the openings 54 normally to close the latter.

The indicating device 18 may well be used with a system employing a filler cap of the type shown in the patent above referred to but such a cap is not necessary and the system of FIGURE 1 depicts the radiator header tank 20 as served by a spring actuated relief arrangement connected by means of a vent tube 82 to the atmosphere.

Conventional radiators have header tanks each of which is often of the same depth as the diameter of the hose serving as the inlet to the tank. Because of this fact, a convenient and advantageous position for the indicator device 18 is as indicated in FIGURE 1 so that the liquid level 84 may be observed through the wall of the device 18. If desired, a light may be placed in back of the device 18 better to see the level. A marking may be placed on the device 18 such as shown on a portion 83 of the device 18 but such marking obviously is not necessary. If inspection shows that the level is low, cooling liquid may be quickly and conveniently added to the system even though the latter is under considerable pressure. Replenishing of the system is performed by inserting a filler nozzle through the opening 67 of the cap 44 to spread the flaps 64 and 66. The flaps form a lip seal around the inserted nozzle and coolant may be quickly introduced into the cool-ant system until the level is as desired. The one-way or check valve 70 prevents cooling system pressure from kicking back during the filling operation. It is necessary, of course, that the water supply line pressure or the pressure of the cool-ant being introduced be higher than the cooling system pressure and in normal Water lines the water pressure is from thinty to forty pounds per square inch which is above engine cooling pressure as conventionally used.

It will be appreciated that the element 18 may be of glass and it may be transparent or translucent and it may be light permeable in part only in order to realize the benefits of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A liquid level indicating device comprising an element with a chamber therein, said element having open and opposite ends, at least a portion of said element being light permeable for viewing the contents of said chamber, a side inlet leading from the exterior of said element to said chamber, -a one-way valve in said inlet and operable by pressure from the outside to open and from the inside to close, a yieldable twin flap sealing device located in said inlet outside of but in series with said one-way valve and adapted to receive a filling nozzle when the latter is inserted, and said opposite ends being adapted for connection to hose.

2. A liquid level indicating device comprising an element with a chamber in communication with an engine cooling system, a Wall portion of said element being light permeable forvievving the liquid level in said chamber, an inlet leading from the exterior of said element to said chamber, a one-Way valve in said inlet and operable by pressure, and a yieldable flap sealing device in said inlet and arranged to seal said inlet on the upstream side of said one-Way valve during normal use of said system and also during a filling operation performed by insertion of a nozzle through said sealing device.

3. A liquid level indicating device in a cooling system of an internal combustion engine, such system having a header tank, said device having an element defining a chamber "and being made at least in part of light permea-ble material for viewing the liquid level in said tank, said tank and element being on the same horizontal plane, said device having an inlet leading from the exterior of said cooling system to said chamber, a one-Way valve in said inlet and operable by pressure from the outside to open and from the inside to close, a yielda-ble flap device in said inlet in alignment with and outside said one-Way valve and yieldable to permit the insertion of a filling nozzle, and the arrangement being such that said flap device constitutes a seal during normal use of the system and also while said nozzle is inserted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,890,900 Christie et 'al Dec. 13, 1932 

1. A LIQUID LEVEL INDICATING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELEMENT WITH A CHAMBER THEREIN, SAID ELEMENT HAVING OPEN AND OPPOSITE ENDS, AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID ELEMENT BEING LIGHT PERMEABLE FOR VIEWING THE CONTENTS OF SAID CHAMBER, A SIDE INLET LEADING FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID ELEMENT TO SAID CHAMBER, A ONE-WAY VALVE IN SAID INLET AND OPERABLE BY PRESSURE FROM THE OUTSIDE TO OPEN AND FROM THE INSIDE TO CLOSE, A YIELDABLE TWIN FLAP SEALING DEVICE LOCATED IN SAID INLET OUTSIDE OF BUT IN SERIES WITH SAID ONE-WAY VALVE AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A FILLING NOZZLE WHEN THE LATTER IS INSERTED, AND SAID OPPOSITE ENDS BEING ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO HOSE. 